Results 15,681-15,700 of 32,864 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: External Service Delivery (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy referred to neoliberal ideology. I am not a neoliberal, but I believe there is a role in looking at how we can achieve value for money and ensure a variety of organisations will bid for particular projects. The Deputy referred to the national children's hospital. It is a State-funded project that will deliver services that will be available to citizens, young boys and girls. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 51 together. Arising from the Government decision of Tuesday, 12 February 2019 in relation to capital re-allocations related to the cost overrun on the National Children’s Hospital, the Office of Public Works is reviewing the most appropriate means of achieving the required capital savings of €3 million in the flood risk management area....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Capital Expenditure Programme (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 77 together. On 12 February, I published how the €99 million necessary this year for the timely provision of the National Children’s Hospital will be accommodated with a minimum of disruption to the scheduled roll-out of key infrastructure projects under Project Ireland 2040. I also detailed reforms designed to ensure better project...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Lottery Regulator (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, will be providing us with the report of the interdepartmental working group on gambling very soon. It appears to me that the only way in which we can deal with this issue is to look at how we can review and maybe change the 2013 general scheme of the gambling control Bill. The facts and figures indicate that the current contribution made by the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I never said I was happy with the processes that led to this outcome. I said I was satisfied with the operation of the circular. The Deputy either misinterpreted me, or she deliberately attributed words to me that I did not say. It is up to her to decide which of those possibilities is the case. I never at any point said I was happy with the processes that have led to this. I have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Lottery Regulator (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I have not yet received a formal opinion from the national lottery regulator regarding this topic. As the Deputy may be aware, it falls outside the statutory remit of the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery. I am aware of the issues in question. The topic has been raised in general discussions as part of the normal engagement my officials and I have with the regulator's office...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Lottery Regulator (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I would like to put on the record of the Dáil some figures regarding the transfers that the national lottery has made to the Exchequer in recent years. I could take any year as a benchmark. In 2011, the figure was €230 million. It decreased to €178 million in 2014. That figure has now rebuilt to €227 million. The contribution the national lottery is making had...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Circular 12/2010: Protocol for Civil Servants nominated to the boards of non-commercial State bodies lays down a detailed framework for civil servants who are board members to report to the relevant Minister in certain circumstances. The relevant Minister is the Minister under whose aegis the body falls. The purpose of the protocol is to set out the reporting obligations of the nominee...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Staff (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: I have acknowledged and will do so again that the procedures and difficulties in the latter phase of the national children's hospital project will change and have to change for the future. I have acknowledged and accept my responsibility for the difficulties with the project. In answer to the Deputy's question on whether I am happy with the way in which the civil servant on the board...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Making the case for supporting measures at an EU level that recognise where Brexit represents a serious disturbance to the Irish economy is a key pillar of the Government's response to Brexit. I am satisfied that there is a firm understanding at an EU level of the unique and disproportionate impact that Brexit will have on Ireland. Last March, the Tánaiste met EU budget Commissioner...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: We will be in a position to agree specifics with the European Commission as soon as we are clear on what the specifics of Brexit look like. At this point the Commission, through many Commissioners, has indicated its support in principle and its firm commitment to supporting Ireland in facing this grave difficulty. It will use the flexibility that is open to it to support us in decisions...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is not just what our future asks will be in the event of a disorderly Brexit but also recognition of what we have already done. There has been considerable effort to get ready for Brexit, with the support of this House and the support of the Deputy's party in various budgets. I hope I am not speaking too soon but I think we should not underestimate the amount of co-operation going on to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Public Service Pay Commission has adopted a modular approach to its work programme for its present exercise focused on recruitment and retention issues in the public service. As the Deputy will be aware, the first module was published by the commission in August 2018 and deals with issues relating to nursing and midwifery, non-consultant hospital doctors and hospital consultants. The...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The reason is that my own Department has overall responsibility for pay policy. As a result, we are present or involved in the preparation of submissions to the pay commission. The Deputy will know that in addition to the submissions that the employer makes, submissions are also made by those who represent employees, which, one hopes, allows the Public Service Pay Commission to make a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Service Pay Commission Reports (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: It is a matter for the pay commission to determine when it will be able to complete the module. It is independent of my Department and reaches its own conclusions about the report and its processes. Nevertheless, as I have outlined, I expect the commission to indicate soon the timeline of the completion of the work. I hope that its indication of a timeline, which will be the first time it...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Equality Proofing of Budgets (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Following a commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government to ‘develop the process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights’ an Equality Budgeting pilot was implemented for the 2018 budgetary cycle. The approach I have taken in introducing Equality Budgeting is that equality budgeting is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Stability Agreement (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The provisions of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 apply to those unions who have confirmed in writing to the Workplace Relations Commission that they agree to be bound by the terms of the agreement. The union referenced by the Deputy, (INMO), has subscribed to the Public Service Stability Agreement and is currently considering a Labour Court Recommendation to resolve an...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Budgets (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: Expenditure Report 2019 set out total gross voted expenditure of €66.6 billion for 2019. Of this, €59.3 billion is gross voted current expenditure, while €7.3 billion is gross voted capital expenditure. Ministerial allocations, as agreed by the Government, were set out in further detail in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) published in December. The effective and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Monuments (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The Office of Public Works has responsibility for the management of the Hill of Tara National Monument site and operates a seasonal Guide service based at the former Church of Ireland building on the site. It also provides maintenance services and manages both Monument structures and the extensive acreage involved. Tara is clearly an important historical site which is popular with many...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Service Contracts (5 Mar 2019)

Paschal Donohoe: The period immediately following the introduction of the public works contracts in 2007 was marked by a severe contraction in construction output in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008. In addition to a number of high profile insolvencies tender, prices dropped by 30% as contractors competed to win the remaining work available. In 2014 the performance of the public works contracts...